Apparatus for and method of canning



All-g. r31", 1937. Q Q BALL 2,091,263

APPARATUS FOR AND METHOD OF CANNING INVENTOR e l L/c: ATTORNEY Aug. 31, 1937. Q, BALL .Y 1 2,091,263

APPARATUS yFOR AND METHOD OF CANNING Y Filed Nov. 19, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 31, 1937 l 2,091,263

'UNITED STATES Awir-ENT OFFICE Charles O. Ball, River Forest, Ill., `assigner to American Can Company, New York; N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application November 19, 1932, Serial No. 643,411

3 Claims. (Cl. 997-253) The present invention relates in general to an in another chamber offsetting or balancing the improved method of canning and to apparatus internal pressure in the closed can after it has usable in its practice. It has particular reference been sealed to prevent strain upon the can seams. to the sterilization of a food product by electrical An important object of the invention is the 5 heating in which an electric current is passed provision of such a method wherein theheat of 5 through the lproduct mass and between electrodes the product after being enclosed in the can is within the mass so that the resistance of the mass used to effect sterilization of the can cover which generates heat and raises the temperature suiiprovides the Sealed Closure for the Canciently high to eiiect sterilization, the heated food Numerous other objects and advantages of the l0 being hermetically sealed inea can. invention will be apparent as it is better under` 10 The invention contemplates the introduction of. Stood from -the following description. Which. an open top can, iilled with a food product, into taken in connection with the accompanying drewposition for heating, in which position the elecings. diSoloSeS a Preferred embodiment theieOf trodes of an electric heating current are inserted Referring4 to the drawings:

directly into the product mass. Rapid heating of Figure 1 is a .schematic view illustrating a 15 the product results. This heat is utilized -to series of interconnected mechanisms for performsterilize the product, the natural flavors and aping the Various Steps 0f the present invention and pearance of the product being preserved Vovv/ing to illustrating in fragmentary form suilicient of the the relatively short sterilization period andfalso apparatus to Carry 01115 these method Steps;

owing to freedom from any mechanical dis- Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5 are enlarged transverse sec- 20 turbances. tional details taken substantially along the re- This manner of sterilization is adaptable for spective broken lines 2 2, 3-3, 4-4`and 5-5 in non-acid foods such as vegetables, milk, meat and Flgfl; Y marine products, or for lthe acid foods such las Fig. 6 is a greatly enlarged transverse sectional fruits, and in either case the process preserves View taken through the heating Station 95 Viewed 25 Y the natural iiavors and appearance of the food substantially along the Section line 5--3 in Fi8- 1;

`and permits its iinal sealing in hermetic conand n tainers without impairment of quality. Figs. 'I and 8 are plan sectional details of the In canning products of a non-acid nature which heating nstrllmentalities being teken respec- I require a relatively' high sterilizing temperature, tives along the lines 1-7 and 3-8 in Fig. 6. 30

the invention contemplates enclosing an open top The invention contemplates the passage of an container or can of food.,` product in a pressure open top can filled with a suitable material such chamber during the raising and maintenance of a as a food product into a can carrier which, acsterilization temperature and sealing the product cording to the present embodiment, ls formed inthe can under pressure, thus preventing .boilas a turret or valve having a series'of peripheral 35 ing out of the product when its temperature is can receiving pockets. The food which is to be4 being raised and while such'temperature remains sterilized is conveniently brought into the ina-A above the boiling point and before sealing in the vchine within the can and may be preheated if can, this heat after sealing. in .most instances desired.

` 40 continuing and finally completing the sterilizing In other words,l the food as it is iirst presented 4o action. to the first step in the present method may have The invention-has for itsprincipal object the any desired temperature. The consistency or provision of a process or method andapparatus nature of the food will vary, depending entirely using such a method of sterilizing food products upon the product. In some instances the best with electrical heating energy in a rapid and consterilizing results will be obtained electrically 45 tinuous manner, theprcduct being sealed in herwhen the interstices ofl the food are iilled with 'metically closed containers and cooled without a liquid such as syrup or brine or sauce if the mechanical disturbances, all of the operations nature of the food is more orless of a solid nature taking place in an uninterrupted and continuous embodying isolated individual pieces. manner. 4The lled and open top cans are brought to 50 An important object of the invention is the the can carrier by a conveyor belt, each can being provision of such a method wherein the sterilizaseparately introduced into a pocket of the turret. tion takes place whilethe yproduct is enclosed in The turret preferably operates intermittently and one or more sealed chambers,' the sterilized or successively presents-each of its can pockets into partially sterilized product being hermetically v the various operating stations, a can within a 5h sealed in a. can which is usually cooled prior to pocket at such time being subjected to the operbeing again brought out into the atmosphere the ating units at that station. l pressure in one chamber offsettingl or balancing The cancarrier -is largelysurroundedby a cirthe internal pressure within the unclosed can cular casing and in its walls pressure chambers caused by the heated product and the pressure enclosed. The casing providesl an airtight @9' sliding connection with the can carrier and permits bringing a can into communication with each pressure chamber without interfering with the chamber pressure.

5 The open top can is rst presented to the heating station which is located at one end of the first pressure chamber. As the turret comes into a rest period, it locates the can beneath heating instrumentalities which comprise sets or a series l0 of electrodes in the form of spaced rods carried in a vertically movable head. These rods may conviently be inserted directly into the product mass.

Electric heating energy passes between the different electrode sets or series and a heating current is set up within the product mass as the electric heating energy passes through the product and between electrodes. It is the resistance of the product mass to the flow of this electric current that produces this heating energy. The electric current used for this purpose may be `alternating or direct and may have any desired characteristics as izo-frequency, voltage, etc.

To insure that all of the product mass is uniformly heat treated provision is made for moving the rods radially while in inserted position so that all sections of the product mass may be most efficiently treated.

Pressure is preferably maintained'in the enclosed chamber in which the heating station is located and may be created by live steam or by any suitable gas. This pressure is used to counteract and prevent boiling over of the contents when it becomes heated to the sterilizing temper- 5 ature which may range somewhat between 250 F. and 300 F. A chamber pressure of from 30 to 60 pounds per square inch would be proper for such temperatures.

Non-acid foods are best sterilized by a tempera- 40 ture ranging between 250 F. and 300 F. and under a pressure consistent with such heat. In common practice the acid foods such as fruit are sterilized at a less temperature than the boiling point, approximately 180 F. It has often been found desirable in utilizing the canning procedure of the present invention, even in this class of foods to use a higher temperature and a pressure chamber.

After heating and while the can is still under the chamber pressure, it is presented to any suitable form of cover feed and a. cover is placed upon its open end. Such a cover feed is usually em-" bodied in a seaming machine. This cover is hermetically secured to the can by any suitable means, a usual form of double seaming head being illustrated in the drawings as an example of the machine for this purpose.

After sealing the can is preferably subjected to a holding period while still in the pressure 00 chamber, during which time the heat Within the product of the can further carries on and completes thelsterilization.

While the can cover which has been applied to the can in the seaming machinel may be sterilized before it is applied, provision is made for effecting sterilization of its inner surface by means of the heated product. It is convenient to do this during the holding period.

For this purpose provision is made for tilting the can into an inclined or substantially horizontal position and in such position it may be rolled sothat the heated product will lay against the inner surface of the cover suciently to raise its temperature for sterilizing. This insures completed sterilization not only of the product but of all of the engaged and surrounding surfaces of the can.

The can carrier then removes the sealed and sterilized can from the first pressure chamber and presents it to a cooling chamber through which cooling medium of any suitable character may be circulated. This chamber is also preferably maintained under pressure to counteract the internal pressure of the heated product contained Within the sealed can so that strains upon the can seams will be relieved.

In the drawings a water cooling system is illustrated to provide the proper cooling. It is not necessary to complete the cooling in a chamber under pressure and accordingly two cooling chambers are shown. The second chamber may be under atmospheric pressure or at only a slightly greater pressure, depending upon the degree of heat Still in the can after leaving the yfirst cooling chamber. During the passage of the cans through the cooling chambers its temperature is reduced to a practical point, after which it is discharged from the machine.

All of the operations taking place upon the can are produced by the proper instrumentalities associated at the various stations arranged around the periphery of the can carrier so that the can is successively passed to and through each operating device and the steps of the method are thus carried out in a continuous and unbroken automatic manner. Automatic control of steam, air and water is a part of these loperations, it being only necessary to pass the can through the operating stations in order to obtain the desired results.

For the purpose of more clearly illustrating the various steps of the present invention the drawings shoW suflicient parts of a mechanism or a series of mechanisms `for treating the product. Cans 2| (Fig. 1) filled with a food product may be brought into the apparatus on an endless belt conveyor 22 and guided between guide rails 23.

A turret form of can carrier or conveyor 25 is secured to a vertical shaft 26 and provides the conveying mechanism for the can. This turret is formed with peripheral, spaced, can receiving pockets 21 into which a can 2| is transferred from the belt 22 by an oscillating arm 28.

A housing 3| partially surrounds and substantially encloses the turret 25 and presents a floor over which the can is slid. A Wall 32 of the housing provides a seal for the turret pocket as it moves past the wall. An elongated pressure chamber 33 is Iformed in the housing 3| and extends outside of and along the periphery of the turret 25, 'one end of the chamber extending to the wall 32.

The turret 25 is intermittently moved and during its "stop period presents a pocket 21 to the i feeding arm 28. After receiving a can it moves to the next position and the can is then brought adjacent the wall 32. Following a rest period the can is next brought to the heating station (indicated by the letter A, Fig.- l), which is located in one end of the chamber 33.

At such a time and throughout a number of 'succeeding step movements of the turret, the

station A that the product within the can is heated to sterilizing temperature.- The can is located beneath a head4l (Figs. 6 and 8) which carries a series of radially disposed vertically ex- 5 tending rods 42. The head 4| is formed of a suitable insulating material and the rods 42 extend downwardly through an `insulating bracket 43 bolted at 44 to the housing 3|.

This head and all parts associated therewith are incorporated within the chamber 33. The head 4| is mounted upon a vertically disposed sleeve 45 which passes through a stuing box 46 located in a head casing 41A formed in the housf ing 3|. The head 4| is lowered in any suitable l manner by a lowering of the sleeve 45 and the rods 42 are. then inserted within'the product `mass within the can 2| ,e this position being illusthe product mass and between the two sets orr series of electrodes. The resistance (electrically speaking) of the mass of the product produces the heat for sterilizing.

30 To insure a more complete heat distribution in the entire product mass provision is made for moving the rods 42 closer toward the center of the can While the electrical energy continues t'o pass between opposed electrode series. For this 35purpose each rod is pivotally connected at 6| 'and 62 (Figs. 6 and '7) to lower and upper links 53, 64 pivoted at 65, 86 to center collars B1, 68. Each collar is formed of insulating material to prevent shorting of the current between connected 40 electrodes.

Each collar 61, 68 is secured to a central rod 1| which passes through an insulated `sleeve 12 located inside ofthe sleeve 45. This rod 1| is suitably joined with the wire 54 by a wire 13 and g5 by means of the electrical connection thus made the rod 1| functions as an electrode along with `the other electrodes. It is raised in any suitable manner. As it is lifted the links 63, 6 4 shift position and theradially disposed vrods 42 are 50 moved closer toward the center of the can. Ra-

rial slots 14, 15 '(Figs. 7 and 8) are cut through the insulated bracket 43 ,and the head 4| to afford clearance for the rods during such movement.

55 A variationin the construction ofthe head 4| may be used where the can 2| is of plain-tin, that is not enameled or otherwise lined on its interior, by utilizing the can wall as one electrode for one side of the current and using a single electrode I 6o or a number of electrodes of the same series inserted into the product within the can for the other side of the current. In this case the can will be grounded to one side of the circuit and the electrodes within the can would be on the introduction of live steam or suitable gaslfor 75 this purpose. `A vent pipe 19 also leading into the chamber is used, its opening being controlled by a valve 80. This latter pipe is used in starting the steam pressure in the chamber and .after the chamber is filled with steam the valve 80 is -used as a bleed valve for more easily maintaining a live steam atmosphere. Steam is usually preferred as it has the advantage of assisting in raising and in holding the higher temperature ofcan and product. y v

The housing 3| is formed to permit employment of a double seaming apparatus indicated generally by the numeral 8|. This may be of any usual and well known type and is preferably provided with means for presenting a can cover 82 to the open top of the can as it is moved by the turret into the next position, this being indicated in Fig. l as station B. After the product has been heated by the electrodes just described the turret 25 moves the heated can into station B. The can covers 82 are retained in a magazine or stack 83 and -a single cover is presented to the open top heated can beneath.

At the next step movement of the turret 25 the can is presened to the double seaming rolls of a seaming mechanism, these being located at a station C (Fig. 1). anism is of any suitable type, a conventional seaming head 84 carrying seaming rollers 85, being -illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. The can 2| at this station is raised by a plunger 86 carried on a shaft 81 passing through a stuffing box 88 formed in the housing 3|. The seaming head 84 is associated with a shaft member 89 extending through a stufllng box 90 located in the housing 3|. v c

The seaming head 84 as well as the cover The double seaming mechmagazine 83 are located within the pressure chamber 33. The can with its heated product remains .under the pressure of the chamber 33 while it is hermetically sealed and any boiling over of its contents is thus prevented and there is no mechanical disturbance to injure the texture'of the product or to affect its desirable characteristics.

The hermetically sealed canwith its partially sterilized product is then conveyed in a series of step movements through a holding period, during whichl time it is still in the chamber 33 and thev relatively high heat in the-product of the can continuesand completes the sterilization. It is during the holding period that the` can is shifted from its upright position in the pocket 21 of the turret 25 and is brought into an inclined lor nearly horizontal position. In this position itis rolled for a short distance in order that the heated product in the can will heat the newly .applied can coverV which will be thoroughly sterilized.

Toperform the -tilting operation the guide rail v is bowed outwardly Vand downwardly at 95 (Figs. l, 4 and 5) to form a progressively curved support for lowering the can into tilted position and for again righting it into vertical upright position. Duringl this movement of the can through the chamber 33, it 'passes along over the wall of the housing 3l andas it meets the bowed section 95 of theguide rail 35, the floor of the housing tips downwardly in an inclined surface l 96 (Fig. 4). 4

The can riding on this surface rocks from its vertical position and falls rlrst into the position illustrated in Fig. 4, at which time it is partially supported by the section 95 of the guide rail. This inclined floor 96 merges into a steeper oor section 91 (Fig. 5) and at the same time the supporting rail 95 bends down into a lower position to accommodate the change in position of the can. In Fig. the can is shown fully tilted and its contents lays against the inside wall of the 5 cover. The heat of theproduct thus partially passes into the cover raising its temperature to a sterilizing degree.

A supportrail 98 (Figs. l, 4 and 5) is provided as a retaining guide plate for the top part of Athe can and assists in holding it during tilting and righting. This rail 98 is shaped to correspond with the different positions of the can and is .se-

` cured to abracket 99 formed in the wall of the housing 3|.

As the carrier 25 further advances the can` through the chamber 33 it is gradually raised from its inclined position by a reversal of its tilting movement and is eventually restored to upright position within the turret pocket.

.Z0 As the can passes opposite the Wall 36 of the housing 3| it is cut off from communication with the pressure chamber 33 and is then brought into the first of a pair of cooling chambers |06,

` |02. A circular guide rail |03 is located in cham- '25 ber |0| and retains the cans Within the turret pocket during passage of the turret through the chamber. The rail |03 is xed at one end to the wall 36 of the housing and at its opposite end to a Wall |05 formed in the housing. The

wall |05 closes on? the chamber lili.

The chamber |0| is preferably also carried under pressure, such a pressure preventing the internal pressure of the cans heated contents from straining the seams of the can. During the passage of the can through the chamber it is cooled to any desired point. i

The pressure in chamber |0| may be maintained by means of compressed air introduced into the ,top of the chamber through a pipe |06 (Fig. 3). A suitable cooling medium-is also supplied to the cooling chamber lill, there being illustrated for this purpose a Water bath |0'l. Water circulation for the bath is maintained by means of pipes |08, |09 extending through the housing wall. The can is subjected to the water bath |01 and its contents is accordingly cooled.

As the can is moved into position adjacent the wall |05 of the housing 3| it is cut off from the chamber |0| and further movement places it into the second cooling chamber |02. This chamber is identical in construction to the cooling chamber |0| although a less pressure is maintained in the chamber. In some cases no pressure at all is necessary.

'I'he can during passage through the chamber |02 is held in its turret pocket by a guide rail secured to the walls of the housing 3|. A circulation of Water is maintained in the chamber |02 by means of pipes ||2, ||3 extending through the wall of the chamber. When a pressure is used in the chamber it may be obtained by compressed air introduced through a pipe ||4 passing through the top wall of the chamber.

The chamber |02 is confined atone end by a wall ||5 and further movement of the turret brings the cooled can adjacent this wall, at which time the can is' cut oil from the chamber t |02. Subsequent movement of the turret 25l then carries the can over a discharge chute ||0 into which it falls and passes out Aof the apparatus.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction, and arrangement of parts of the apparatus mentioned herein and in the steps and their order of accomplishment of the process described herein, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the apparatus and process hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for canning which comprises a sealed chamber, a can carrier for introducing an open top can containing a product into said chamber, means for placing said chamber under pressure in excess of atmospheric pressure, electrodes for carrying an electric heating current, devices for inserting said electrodes into the product in said can, means for passing a heating current through said electrodes and through the product intervening so that the latter is heated to sterilizing temperature, means for shifting said electrodes within said can and transversely of said product to completely permeate the product with sterilizing heat, means for sealing said heated product in said can while still under pressure in said chamber, and means for changing the position of said can while Still in said chamber to more completely sterilize the inner walls of the can as well as its contents.

2. An apparatus for canning which comprises a pluralityr of sealed chambers, a can carrier for introducing an open top can containing a product into said chambers. means for placing said chambers under pressure in excess of atmospheric pressure, electrodes located in one of said chambers for carrying an electric heating current, devices for inserting said electrodes into the product in said can, means for passing said heating current through said electrodes and through the product intervening, devices for shifting said electrodes in the product relative tov the longitudinal axis of the can so that the product is suiiciently and uniformly heated to sterilizing temperature, means for sealing said sterilized product in said can while still under pressure in said heating chamber; and cooling means associated with other chambers for cooling the said sterilized can when it is carried through said cooling chambers by said can carrier.

3. A method of canning which comprises passing an open top can containing a product into a sealed chamber and maintaining a pressure in said chamber, inserting electrodes into the product, passing electric heating energy between said electrodes and through the product so that it is heated to sterilizing temperature, moving said electrodes while in said product in a direction relative to the longitudinal axis of the can and transversely of said? product to thoroughly permeate the product with sterilizing heat, the pressure developed in the product by the sterilizing heat being balanced by the pressure in said chamber so that boiling of the product is prevented, supplying said heated can with a cover, hermetically sealing said can by application of said covenand holding the sealed can under the pressure of said chamber to complete its sterilization.

CHARLES 0. BALL. 

